Photographic camera body



June 19, 1951 w. 'A.' LEA 2,557,297

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA BODY Filed Sept. 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lA/VEN r02.- WAL TERALEXANDEE L54 June 19, 1951 w. A. LEA 2,551,297

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA BODY Filed Sept. 13, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVE/Vl'dfi: WALTEPAL5XANDEP LEA June 19, 1951 w. A. LEA

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA BQDY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE'A/Idf. I ups-P LE4 WAL 152 144014 Filed Sept. 13, 1946 Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Earl V.

Ehrhardt, Altadena, Calif.

Application September 13, 1946, Serial No. 696,706

2 Claims. I

' The invention relates to various improvements in a photographic camera, more particularly a camera of small size and in which a roll of film is to be used.

7 'Some of the faults in cameras are: (1) The shutter release is either so relatively inaccessible or is so awkward to operate, or both, that the operator jars the camera and blurs the picture when operating the shutter release. Also most types of shutter releases are not equally accessible to the fingers of the right and left hands. (2) The view finder of the usual small camera produces an optical reduction of the scene, with the result that the scene as viewed in the view finder is very small and usually difficult to see or find, also no means are provided for finding the center of the photographic field. (3) The usual type of roll film camera frequently leads to scratches on the film which are reproduced as objectionable lines on the picture print. This is due to the fact that the film is coiled on itself and uncoiled several times, the back of one coil facing and scratching the emulsion side of the adjacent coil, particularly when there is slippage between the adjacent coils.

The object of the invention is to provide a camera overcoming the above defects and having a number of additional advantages.

The invention provides an improved shutter release which is equally accessible to the fingers of either hand, and in fact may be operated by one of several fingers of one hand which holds the camera, the release being operated by an inward or squeeze action which is less likely to jar the camera than heretofore.

Another feature of the invention relates to the view finder which is an improvement in that the scene can be viewed in its natural size while preferably also viewin the adjoining or contiguous portions of the scene, means being provided to indicate the center of the photographic field.

The invention also provides an improved arrangement for transporting or traversing the film through the camera, use being made of a paper strip coiled with the film so that the paper coils separate and protect the emulsion surface from the back of an adjacent coil. The end of the paper strip is made accessible at the exterior of the camera, and it may be pulled, preferably by hand, to propel the film. The strip has stops or marks so as to indicate or mark the picture lengths on the film, and the paper length correspondin to each picture length may serve as a medium onto which photographic data or notes may be Written for each picture. As the paper is originally coiled with the film when it is wound on the supply spool, the paper protects the film at this time and also when the spool is unwound after the film is exposed in the camera, thereby reducing the likelihood of scratching the film.

For further details of the invention references may be made to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is the perspective view of a camera according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view along the optical axis of the camera of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view with the cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view with the cover re-.- moved and with parts broken away.

Fig. 5 is a rear view in elevation of the view finder.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of lines B-6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on lines 1'! of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the shutter in cocked position.

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 showing the operating parts in another position.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view with parts broken away on lines 9-9 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of details of the shutter release.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view showing the back of the camera, with parts removed. Figs. 12 to 16 are enlarged. v

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of springs to guide the film in the coil.

Fig. 14 is a front elevation looking in the direction of the arrows on lines l .l4 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 12 of a modified receiver.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of the back of the camera.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the inner end of the film and paper strip, with parts broken away.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the camera, of Fig. 1 is in the form of a box or casing I having tapered sides 2 and 3, a curved back 4 and a fiat front 5, with parallel top 6 and bottom 1. The top 6 is removable and held in place by suitable clips 8.

The casing I may be made of plastic or other opaque material. Figs. 1 to 4 illustrate substantially the full size and shape preferred, although other sizes and shapes may be employed.

On the top 6 is a rewind knob 9 w'hich'may- 3 and 7 to 9, under tension of a spring l5. The r speed of the shutter is adjusted by .a handle l6 which adjusts the tension of spring I5. Handle .IB is of spring metal and as shown in Fig. 10 its outer end has a projection ll adapted to fit in three recesses marked B, H .andD in Fig. 1, these positions giving to the spring l5 aten's'ion such that the speed of the shutter I5 is appropriate for photographing a scene under lighting conditions which are. bright, hazy and dull respectively.

" The shutter I4 is released by pressing in on the shutter release slide i8 located at the bottom front center of the camera where the shutter release I8 is in position to be operated by any finger of .either hand, if the camera is held by both hands, or it may be operated by any one of several fingers of one hand if the camera is held if the camera is held in one hand. Due to the location of the shutterrelease l8 and'due to the fact that .it is operated by squeezing or pushing it inwardly toward the front of the camera; the camera is. less likely to be jarred than heretofore.

The top 6 has a rectangular recess I9 at the front edge of which is connected a view finder by a hinge 2| As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the hinge 2| has a wire 22 which is secured at its opposite endsin the top 6, the wire passing through the hinge 2|. Alsothe wire passes through the hinge 2|. at a greater height as indicated at 23 than it is secured to the top 6, this offset serving as a tension device to hold the view finder upright. This effect does not exist when the view finder 251s folded into the recess l9 as shown in Fig. 2. v

The View finder 20 is a rectangular plate of transparent pink plastic, the color pink. being preferred as it forms a contrast with the average scene. The view finder 20 has crossing lines 24, 25 which define the center 25. Behind the finder 20 is a rear sight 21, its upper end being rounded as indicated in 28 to mask the hole 25 when the eye of the operatoris close to. the camera and in position to look directly forward in line with the optical axis of the camera. A linethrough the elements 28, 25 is parallel to the optical axis and while this results in a small amount of vertical parallax, this can be ignored for amateur work and isquite small as the camera is small. The plate 28 in effect forms a window, as the operator looksdirectly through it to the scene, and .when the eye is close to the rear of the camera, the size of the field of view on the plate 20 is the same as the field of View which passes through the exposure aperture 29, see Fig. 4, to expose the film. Also when the top 23 of the rear sight and the aperturelfi appear in alignment, the rear sight element 28 masks very slightly and thereby defines the center of the photographic around its side and top margins whereby the operator can by glancing to oneside or the other see the adjoining or; contiguous .portion- -of the scene and hence readily decide whether to point the camera in a different direction to position properly the item of principal interest in the picture.

The rear sight 2'! is mounted on a hinge 30, see Fig. 6, and it has a spring arm 3| adapted to engage a spring catch 32 to hold the rear sight 2'! upright. When the view finder is to be collapsed, the rear sightj21'is moved counter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 6 so that it will lie fiat on the bottom of recess 19 as shown in Fig. 2. The plate 20 is then swung down on top of the rear seight 21 and the spring arm 3| forms a spring catch to engage the top edge of view finder 25.

As shown in Figs. '7 to 9, the blinder arm I3 is connected to a rock shaft 33 pivotally supported The plate 20 is free from opaque material in the front 5 above the front lens 34. On the 7 rear end of shaft 33 is fixed a blinder 35 which is urged to the'right as seen in Fig. '7, against a stop 35 by a spring 31. Blinder 35 has a projection 38 which engages the upper end of leverv 39 to move the lever 39 and shutter M to the position shown in Fig. 7, with shutter 14. in cocked position and held against the tension of spring l5 by the lower end 40 of lever 39 resting against a horizontal shelf Al on the rear end of the shutter release I8.

Shutter M has a sector shaped opening S2. When the blinder arm I3 is operated to cook the shutter M, the lower end 40 of the lever 39 engages the cam 43 to push the slide [8 in against the action of its spring 54. When the arm 40 passes beyond the cam. 43, the spring 44 pushes the release slide l8 out so that the shelf M. will extend infront of the arm 40 and hold the shutter Id cocked until such time .as it is released by pushing in on the shutter release 18.

As shown in Fig. 9 the blinder 35 swings be.- tween the shutter. l4 and the lever 39. The shutter I4 and the .lever. 39 are secured together in spaced relation and they pivot on a tube 50 press fitted into the front wall 5 below the front lens, .34. Inside of tube 50 is a shaft 5! having arm 15 fixed on its outer end, and having spool 52 fixed on its inner end. The spring 15 is wound on spool 52, one of its ends 53 being fixed to the spool 52, and its other end 54 being extended to bear on the outer end of the arm 39.

The shutter l4, blinder 35, shutterrelease l8 and associated parts, as well as front lens 34, may be mounted as a unit in the front 5 which can be slid into position shown in Fig. 1, to register with the side walls. 2 and 3 by the tongue and groove 55, Figs. 3 and 4, and then cemented in place. I V

The shutter M as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is mid-' way between the front lens 34 and a rear lens 56,. the latter being mounted in a plate 51 which can slide into and out of the casing, being held in position by suitable ribs 58. Cast integral with the rear of the casing l are two cylindrical compartments 59 and 60, the for: mer serving to house the supply spool and the other serving as a receiver. The cylinders 59 and 60 each has a longitudinal groove 6!, 62 to slid.-v ably receive the inturned ends of a metal exposure aperture plate 63 which has a suitable velvet backing.

Light reflection inside reduced by suitable ribs 64 on the bottom of the casing, 65 on the top, see Fig. 6-also 66, 67 On the cylinders 59 and 60. As shown in Fig. 2 for the bottom ribs 64, all such ribs have a fiat face 68 to intercept the side rays, and a slant face 69 facing the rear of the camera.

of the camera may be.

The sides 2 and 3, the walls 73 and T4, the bottom 7' and the compartments 59 and 66 may be cast in one integral piece. The parting line of the molds may be fiush with the outer face of the bottom 7 and the mold halves may separate vertically as seen in Fig. 2, that is, parallel to the ribs 66 and 67, the camera casting having a slight taper to permit the draft of the mold.

As shown in Fig. 17, detachably secured to the inner end of the film "it, by gum or plastic adhesive l l, is a pa per strip 7'2 which is substantially the same width and length as the film. The paper '52 is disconnected or free from the film otherwise. The paper 72 and film is thus secured only at their inner ends, are wound or coiled in a spiral and housed in the supply spool lb, Fig. 15, or I I, Fig. 12. Each coil of the paper extends between and protects the adjacent coils of the film. The back i has two overlapping walls 73, 74, see

Fig. 12. Wall 73 is a continuation of side 2 and a terminates away from supply compartment 59 as indicated at 75. W all I l is a continuation of side 3 and extends over the front of wall 73 and terminates as indicated at 76 to leave an outlet 71 for the paper strip 72. Wall 73 extends in front of and along aperture plate 63 to provide a, path for film 78. The paper 72 and film Til are separated at the left end 75 of wall 73, the space between walls 73 and 74 providing a path for the paper to the outlet 77. The film 78 is propelled or transported from spool II to spool l2 and across the film gate or aperture 29, simply by pulling on the exposed end 78 of the paper strip 72.

Spools I I and [2 may be universal spools, each having a pair of springs 79, Fig. 13, to guide the end of the film into a coil as well known.

To limit the film travel step by step to the length of each picture, strip 72 has holes 86 spaced apart the picture length. Hinged on wall It as indicated at 8| is a plate 82 having a detent 83, Fig, 16, and opposite it is a depression 84. When the paper 12 is pulled out to propel the film, slight pressure on plate 82 causes detent 83 to engage a hole 86 and stop the paper, also the film at the right place. Plate 82 has a cutting edge 85 so that the extended end of the paper may be torn 01?. As each section of the paper corresponds to a picture, suitable notes or data for each picture may be written on its paper section, the wall 13 serving as a backing, if desired, for writing purposes.

As shown in Fig. 15, the springs 79 may be secured by rivets 86 in the receiver compartment 60. After the film is exposed, it is rewound on spool I0. In this case, the paper need not be cut off each time a picture is taken. It could be rolled up and suitably stored with or on the camera, and this paper could be rewound with the film.

Plate 57 is opaque and serves as a light shield.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A camera comprising a casing having a bot- 65 tom and having rear corners and a cylindrical compartment integral with said bottom in each of said corners, one of said compartments serving as a supply spool compartment and the other thereof serving as a receiver compartment, each of said compartments having a longitudinally extending edge and an opening adjacent the rear of said casing, a removable aperture plate having ends slidably carried by said edges respectively and extending between said compartments from the inside of one of said openings to the inside of the other opening, an inner wall integral with said bottom and extending from the outside of said opening in said receiver, said inner wall extending towards said supply compartment, and a parallel overlapping outer Wall integral with said bottom and extending from the outside or said opening in said supply compartment. said outer wall extending towards said receiver, said inner wall serving as a separator and providing two paths from said supply compartment, one of said paths extending from said supply compartment to said receiver between said inner wall and said aperture plate, and the other of said paths extending between said inner wall and said outer wall and opening at the exterior of said casing, said bottom, compartments and inner and outer walls comprising a unitary molding, said compartments and inner and outer walls having a taper permitting the draft of the die.

2. A camera comprising a box having an open top, said box having a bottom and side walls integral therewith, spaced substantially parallel cylindrical walls providing supply and receiver compartments, each of said cylindrical walls merging with and being enclosed by one of said side walls, wall means providing a path between said compartments and substantially tangent to both of said compartments, and other wall means providing a path substantially parallel to said first path and tangent to said supply compartment and opening to the exterior of said casing, means in said receiver compartment for receiving and guiding the free end of a film into a coil, a front wall having a lens and removably fitting said side walls, a cover fitting over said side walls, said cylindrical walls, said wall means, said other wall means and said front wall.

WALTER ALEXANDER LEA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 607,428 Esmond July 19, 1898 1,060,636 Ruttan et a1. May 6, 1913 1,479,112 Sparks Jan. 1, 1924 1,897,268 Merle Feb. 14, 1933 2,225,433 Goldberg Dec. 17, 1940 2,262,987 Baxter Nov. 18, 1941 2,338,657 Mihalyi Jan. 4, 1944 2,388,423 Langdon Nov. 6, 1945 2,391,377 Aiken Dec. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 265,218 Great Britain July 14, 1927 645,210 Germany Nov. 12, 1937 

